A place for potatoes
Your balcony doesn't exactly make a classic potato bed with furrows and piled-up ridges. But the potato itself does not matter whether it grows in a large potato field or in a bucket.
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What it needs to grow is soil, warmth, water and nutrients. You can create these conditions almost anywhere: on the balcony, the roof garden or the sunny inner courtyard.
To the Planting are all suitable Vessels with a capacity of at least 10 liters and a drainage hole in the bottom for the excess irrigation water. These can be plastic water buckets, black masonry buckets, sturdy rice or jute sacks, wooden boxes or a potato tower. Special, recyclable plastic plant bags are available from specialist retailers.
What else do you need
- a few hours of sunlight a day
- simple or better garden or potting soil enriched with compost
- always a full watering can
- Seed potatoes
All types of potatoes are suitable for growing on the balcony, so you can grow whatever tastes good and looks good. For a bucket of 10 liters you need 1 - 2 seed potatoes. Put 3 - 4 potatoes in larger containers.
How does the harvest turn out?
With a rich one harvest is not to be expected on the balcony. The planter sets limits to potato growth. But the harvest is always enough for some meals. A yield of approx. 1kg potatoes possible.
Balcony decorations
You benefit twice from potatoes on the balcony. While the delicious tubers grow below, the flowers of the potato plant decorate your balcony above. Depending on the variety, they bloom white to purple.
Conclusion
When growing potatoes on the balcony, you shouldn't focus on the yield, but on the joy of gardening. Growing potatoes is always an experience, especially for city children.
Tips & Tricks
Can't get enough of the potato blossoms? The jasmine-blossomed nightshade (bot. Solanum Jasminoides), a balcony plant for sunny to partially shaded places and with high water requirements. But be careful: like all nightshades, it is poisonous.
